This morning was my last visit before I go back to work, so I was determined to make it count! At first light this morning I took the usual route over to the College Grounds, not finding too much on the way as it was still a bit early for most birds  :-)  One bird I did see though, fly over the sheep pasture at Migrant Alley was a SKYLARK (50) nice to get to fifty species for the month so soon  :-)

At The College Grounds I wanted to try and find a Spotted Flycatcher for the month, but they seem to have moved on now, or at least I couldn't find them if they were around, whilst searching, I heard then saw two GREY WAGTAILS (51), they flew across the gardens and alighted by one of the small water features there. The LONG TAILED TIT flock was located again, and with it were half a dozen CHIFFCHAFF, a couple of BULLFINCH were seen nearby, and at least six SONGTHUSHES were seen in a group of Hawthorne bushes, nothing much more of any note was found.

One of the Songthrushes

Another speckled songster

When I left the College Grounds it was lighter and warmer, so I headed for Migrant Alley and the Greenhouse grounds, I could see the KESTREL on a fence line, but no Wheatear or Whinchat today, a SPARROWHAWK flew over, and as I watched it I noticed a CORMORANT higher up, the local SWALLOWS gathered forces to chase of the Sprawk, but I couldn't find any Sand martin with them today. Nearing the Greenhouse Grounds I heard the piercing call of multiple YELLOW WAGTAILS (52) and four dropped from the sky to feed among the sheep, I'm doing well for this passage species this year  :-)

I checked out the Raspberry dump at the Greenhouse Grounds, and saw at least 5 WRENS, 2 DUNNOCKS, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Songthrush, 4 BLACKBIRDS and two ROBINS, after taking some more Chiffchaff photo's, I gave it ten minutes to see if anything else would turn up, and was in luck as my first REED WARBLER (53) of the Autumn appeared from the adjacent nettle bed, a real good species to find on my patch, and to get a photo of it was a real bonus, so I filled my boots!

The next species at the Raspberry bar is.........................Reed Warbler - superb!

Reed Warbler

Reed Warbler

After that excitement, I checked the Scrubby areas around the Greenhouses, hoping for that mystery warbler from yesterday would turn up, but it didn't, and only 1 WHITETHROAT, with a BLACKCAP were found, the summer birds are really getting scarce now as they all go back to Africa.

I hung around the Greenhouses and Migrant Alley, and did some sky watching from my seat for the next 2 hours, seeing a flock of GREYLAG GEESE go over, but still no Canada Geese for the month, another Yellow wagtail flew over, a few house Martins and a much looked for PIED WAGTAIL, which gave me the three Wagtail species for the day, a feat only acheived once before on my patch - very satisfying  :-) A LITTLE OWL called from the Greenhouse Copse, then just as I was leaving a further two Yellow Wagtails dropped into the sheep pasture at Migrant Alley, the 6th and 7th of the morning.

I took a few more photo's of the birds today, i'll save them for the week ahead, but here's a couple more images of yesterdays Wheatear  :-)

Wheatear

Wheatear

The start of a new month, September can bring a few exciting passage birds to my patch, and it was with this in mind that I expectantly set off at 06:30 this morning.

The first bird on the months list was a MAGPIE, quickly followed by JACKDAW, BLACKBIRD, SWALLOW, WREN, WOODPIGEON, BLUE TIT, and ROBIN all added as I walked the 100m along Ashes lane to the Greenhouse Complex, where a GREEN WOODPECKER flew off ahead of me, and flyovers from CARRION CROW and LESSER BLACKBACKED GULL were seen, the KESTREL perched on the Greenhouse rooves, and approaching the raspberry dump a WHITETHROAT gave some song, one of two there, and a CHIFFCHAFF called, only DUNNOCK was added to the list from the raspberry pile, and nearby, the thistle heads were already being plundered by GOLDFINCH'S.

Next I crossed Migrant Alley, adding both GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER and COLLARED DOVE to the notebook as they called from an adjacent large garden, only two more species were added to the day list from Migrant Alley, one being the ROOK, and the other being a Migrant Alley special, a WHEATEAR  :-)  I didn't have ny camera with me as it was dull and overcast, but I took these photo's of the same bird later this afternoon.

Wheatear

Wheatear

Wheatear

I was looking forward to adding a few species for the months list as I walked the College Grounds and Gardens, and it didn't let me down, GOLDCREST, SONGTHRUSH, TREECREEPER, NUTHATCH, COAL TIT, GREENFINCH, JAY, WILLOW WARBLER, LONG TAILED TIT and at last a CHAFFINCH were all found, as well as MOORHEN, MISTLE THRUSH, HOUSE SPARROW, and STOCK DOVE.

I headed back across Migrant Alley to the stubbles at the Pub Field, where all I added were 3 over species, they being GREY HERON, GREYLAG GOOSE, and STOCK DOVE similarly the Tree Nursery only added flyovers from PIED WAGTAIL, HERRING GULL and a SPARROWHAWK.

I headed home for a drink and snack, before walking around the Small Holding, Wet Woods and Scrubby Woods, with its adjacent lake, all of which turned out pretty disappointing, the only birds added to the months list were a MALLARD on one of the lakes (Just one!) and a few calling BULLFINCH from the Scrubby Woods, these took the mornings tally to 43.

I'd been out 4 hours, but thought i'd give the Greenhouses another look over, where I did eventually find a couple of LINNETS and a single BLACKCAP, 45 species for the morning was not so good, given the tallies recorded for the end of August  :-(

Around lunch time I went out to get some photo's of that Wheatear, and in doing so added three more fly over species to the months list, - a CORMORANT and a BUZZARD, then a flock of 20-30 HOUSE MARTINS, the last species added was a LITLE OWL that called from the Greenhouse Copse taking the months list to a more respectable 49.

After taking the Wheatear photo's I retired to my skywatching seat, where I soon became aware of a Blackcap/Lesser Whitethroat type ''tic tic tic, in the tall hedge beside me, I scanned the hedge, and had the briefest glimpse of a Warbler, with a very well patterned face, but it was making a harsh ''tchek' noise, this was not a Warbler i had ever come across before! Alas, despite walking the hedgerow and the Greenhouse Grounds behind it for over an hour, I couldn't find the bird, I did hear its distinctive call a couple more times though - One that got away I think - blast it!